A 32-nation naval partnership

New ship, same mission: Republic of Korea reaffirms commitment to Counter Piracy operations

A new Republic of Korea (ROK) warship is conducting Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) Counter Piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

ROKS Choi Young has replaced ROKS Wang Geon in the high profile mission which operates under the command of CMF’s Combined Task Force (CTF) 151.

ROKS Choi Young on transit to the Gulf

The move reaffirms the ROK’s longstanding commitment to the CMF’s maritime security and Counter Piracy missions to which it has contributed capable and highly effective destroyers since March 2009.

ROKS Choi Young was previously involved in a dramatic rescue of 21 crew members when the merchant vessel Samho Jewerly was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2011. She is the 14th ROKS unit to participate in CTF 151, with this being her second deployment to the region.

Commander Jin Seok Bae, ROK senior national representative at the CMF headquarters in Bahrain, said: “The Republic of Korea has always made great contributions to maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden and will continue to do so as a part of CMF for the foreseeable future.”

Captain Sung Mok Choi, Commander of the ROK Naval Escort Task Group and Commanding Officer of ROKS Choi Young said: “Even though piracy has decreased in this region due to the strong Counter Piracy presence by coalition forces, the threat remains. Now the monsoon season is over and sea conditions are improving, the pirates may become active again, so we will remain vigilant.”

He added: “I and my ship will do our best to execute the CMF Counter Piracy mission and enhance the peace and stability of this region.”

Rate this:

Share this:

Published by Combined Maritime Forces

CMF is a unique multi-national collective of 32 like-minded nations, dedicated to promoting security and free flow of commerce across 3.2 million square miles of international waters in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Somali Basin, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. CMF’s main focus areas are disrupting terrorism, preventing piracy, reducing illegal activities, and promoting a safe maritime environment for all.
View all posts by Combined Maritime Forces